Stray dogs
If you would like to adopt the dog
Even if you are keen to adopt the dog, you will not be able to do this straight away. You must contact South Tyneside Council's Animal Welfare Officer who will arrange collection of the dog.
The Animal Welfare Officer can pass on your details to the kennels and then after a statutory 7 day period, if the owner has not been found and you are considered to be suitable, you will be expected to go through the kennel's normal rehoming process.
If you wish to keep the dog in your home, you must inform South Tyneside Council's Animal Welfare Officer.
You are legally obliged to provide certain information about the dog, with your name and address details to South Tyneside Council's Animal Welfare Officer and to keep the dog in your care for 28 days. You must not hand the dog over to any other person, organisation or charity during this period without informing the Council.
After this time you can keep the dog until the person with proof of ownership claims the dog. This means legal ownership is not transferred to you and the original owner may demand the dog back at any time, no matter how long you have kept the dog for or how much money you have spent looking after the dog.